Brian McDonnell

Brian McDonnell Profile Picture

Technical Dairy Specialist

Brian McDonnell is from Raheny, Co. Dublin. He has an honours degree in Sustainable Agriculture from Dundalk IT. He has worked on dairy and beef farms in both Ireland and the UK, including Teagasc Grange and a large-scale 650-cow dairy farm which also had a 1,200 animal youngstock-rearing farm in Scotland. He has a keen interest in agriculture and particularly the dairy sector and in his spare time is active in local rugby and golf.

Hedge management on derogation farms

Dairy

Hedge management on derogation farms

This year for the first time, farmers on derogation farms, who are availing of the Nitrates Derogation, have committed to...
High demand for cows in milk at Dungannon dairy sale

Dairy

High demand for cows in milk at Dungannon dairy sale

Dungannon farmers’ mart, Co. Tyrone, held its final dairy sale of the year, last Thursday (December 17). To get a...
Milk recording uptake stalls in 2020

Dairy

Milk recording uptake stalls in 2020

Milk recording has become an important management tool used on many dairy farms nationally and internationally. Based off the Irish...
What could have caused an abortion in a cow or heifer?

Dairy

What could have caused an abortion in a cow or heifer?

Nearly every dairy and beef farmer will have experienced a cow or heifer aborting or ‘throwing a calf’ at some...
‘Dairy farmers who want to use Jersey genetics should only use sexed semen’

Dairy

‘Dairy farmers who want to use Jersey genetics should only use sexed semen’

The national dairy herd has increased significantly in the last 10 years. This has been helped by the increased use...
A good transition cow management plan is crucial for a successful dairy operation

Dairy

A good transition cow management plan is crucial for a successful dairy operation

A transition cow can be identified as a cow three weeks’ pre-calving and three weeks’ post-calving. Dairy cows face many...
Demand remains high for autumn-born calves at Bandon Mart

Dairy

Demand remains high for autumn-born calves at Bandon Mart

There were some 300 dairy-bred calves on offer at Bandon Mart on Monday (December 14). To get a bit of...
Preventing mastitis in early lactation

Dairy

Preventing mastitis in early lactation

Mastitis is the most economically challenging disease on a dairy farm, it causes the swelling of the cow’s udder tissue...
What is Johne’s disease?

Dairy

What is Johne’s disease?

Johne’s disease is a bacterial disease of cattle and other ruminants for which there is currently no cure. Johne’s is...
Matching autumn-calving percentage to meet liquid milk contracts

Dairy

Matching autumn-calving percentage to meet liquid milk contracts

The most suitable winter milk structure to fulfill liquid milk contracts is to have two compact calving blocks lasting between...
Reaching and maintaining peak yield in autumn-calving cows

Dairy

Reaching and maintaining peak yield in autumn-calving cows

Teagasc hosted its winter milk webinar last Thursday (December 11), with the main topic being how to reach and maintain...
Have you started training heifers into the milking parlour yet?

Dairy

Have you started training heifers into the milking parlour yet?

The end is near for the 2020 milking season on spring-calving dairy farms, with many farms now reduced to once-a-day...
Feeding weanling dairy heifers during the winter months

Dairy

Feeding weanling dairy heifers during the winter months

Dairy heifers on many farms will have been housed for a number of weeks, and will have settled into their...
Now’s the time to get the milking machine ready for the 2021 season

Dairy

Now’s the time to get the milking machine ready for the 2021 season

With the majority of spring-calving cows now dried off and the milking season coming to a close on dairy farms,...
‘Deal or no deal, the UK will need dairy replacements to sustain its production levels’

Dairy

‘Deal or no deal, the UK will need dairy replacements to sustain its production levels’

With the beginning of the 2021 calving season only weeks away, demand remains strong for quality dairy stock, with both...
Teagasc 2027 dairy roadmap: Milk production to increase to 9.5 billion litres

Dairy

Teagasc 2027 dairy roadmap: Milk production to increase to 9.5 billion litres

Teagasc has released its 2027 sectoral roadmap for dairy – which is an estimated projection of where the dairy sector...
Strong demand for spring-calving dairy heifers at Carnew Mart

Dairy

Strong demand for spring-calving dairy heifers at Carnew Mart

Last week, a sense of normality returned to marts across the country, as buyers were allowed back ringside. Their presence led...
Good hygiene is critical throughout the dry period

Dairy

Good hygiene is critical throughout the dry period

With cows fully housed around the country and the majority of those dried off, one of the main focuses over...